I come now to the main observation that is to be drawn from these words.
Doct. That it is the duty of Christians in times of error and seduce- ment to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the saints. It is their duty at all times, but then especially — (1.) That we may not discredit ourselves and the truth. (2.) That we may not hazard our- selves and the truth.
1. Let me first speak to the discredit, and there I shall show — (1.) That truth is honoured by a bold and resolute defence of it. We are not ashamed of it, though it be questioned and scorned in the world : Mat. xi. 19, 'Wisdom is justified of her children,' Neither John's
^ * Erubescit quamvis praclara doctrina quam propria reprehendit conscientia.' — Eieron. in Epita]jh. Marcellce.
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114 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [VeR. 3.
doctrine nor Christ's doctrine would relish with the world, yet some had a reverent opinion of it for all that : Ps. cxix. 126, 127, ' They make void thy law, therefore I love it above pure gold.' In times of defection our love to Grod and the ways of God should be the greater ; as fountain water is hottest in coldest weather. It was an honour to the Christian religion that the primitive professors were glad of an occasion to die for it,^ and the more it was despised and persecuted, the more did they own it ; falsehoods cannot endure the brunt of oppo- sition. (2.) That we may not dishonour ourselves, and discredit our own profession. He is but an ill servant of Christ that will not serve him when * the Lord hath need of him ; ' when God distinguisheth sides, and crieth out, ' Who is of my side, who ? ' Exod. xxxii. 26. Times of error and seducement are searching, trying times. Light chaff is carried about with every wind, but the solid grain lieth still upon the ground : ' The approved are made manifest,' 1 Cor. xi. 19. There is a time not only to show love, but valour : Jer. ix. 3, ' They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth.' To be valiant for truth is to defend it in time of opposition, and to sparkle so much the more in a holy zeal because they pervert the right ways of the Lord. A Christian must have a heart as well as a liver ; not only love the truth, but contend for it, and the more earnestly the more it is opposed. The apostle saith that a bishop must * hold fast the word of truth,' Titus i. 9, dvrexo/U'evov. The word signifieth a holding it fast against a contrary force ; as when a man seeketh to wrest a staff out of another's hand, he holdeth it the faster.
2. The next reason is, that we may not endanger and hazard our- selves and the truth. (1.) That we may not endanger ourselves. It is good to be able to defend religion when it is questioned ; ignorant, secure, and careless spirits will certainly miscarry. Present truths and present errors have an aspect upon our interests ; we must determine one way or another. Now how easily are they carried away with inter- ests that have no principles, no tSiov aT'ijpiy/xov, 2 Peter iii. 17, no proper ballast in their own spirits ! Therefore let us strive to know the truth, to own the truth in a time of trial ; it is needful. All errors and heresies are but men's natural thoughts gotten into some valuable opinion, because backed with the defences of wit and parts. What are all the learned disputes against the truth, but the props of those vulgar mis- prisions and gross conceits that are in the heart of every natural and ignorant man ? We have all a heretic in our bosoms, and are by nature prepared to drink in all kinds of ei-rors and lies, and therefore we are said, Ps. Iviii. 3, to ' speak lies from the womb,' because these things are in our natures. We are born Pelagians, and Libertines, and Papists. ^ As in the new nature there is a cognation and proportion between us and truth, so in the old nature there is an inclination to all manner of errors. Luther saith. Every man is born with a pope in his belly. And Mr Greenham hath a saying, that if all errors, and the memorials of them, were annihilated by the absolute power of God, so that there should not the least remembrance of them remain, yet there is enough
^ ' Quid ergo malum in Christiana religione, cujus reus gaudet, aceusatio votum est, et poena felicitas.' — Tertul.
* ' Pelagiani omnes nascimur et cum supercilio pliarisaico.' — Spankeim.
VeR. 3.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 115